Untitled
by Gwendolyn.Grey
Summary: Darcy Lee, sixth grade, loved Jack Kenler messed up kid . About their relationship. Not a prep story at all. Next book is more depressing-promise. Please review.
1. Prologue

__________Prologue_________

_I love him, I love him, I love him. _

She stared at her bare feet, pale brown against the green of her mattress. She traced the outline of her toes.

_I love him. _

She closed her eyes and sculpted him in her mind.

A long nose protruding from soft skin dotted with the occasional freckle and deep blue eyes peeking out from silky, dark brown bangs. Pink lips that spread across his face when he smiled and those adorable crooked teeth.

_What I wouldn't give, _she thought, her eyes still closed, _to be with him forever. _

She lifted her head up to the ceiling and grinned. What an amazing thing to be loved. It felt like nothing she'd felt before. But she hadn't exactly felt it. They never really talked, never walked around at recess.

When they saw each other, they smiled nervously and looked away. It was always this way.

But she loved him. And he loved her. And soon, things would change. They would be together like she knew they should have been from the beginning of their lives.

_I love him. You. I love you, Jack. _

Jack Kenler was awoken that Tuesday night by a terrible headache. There was thunder rolling around his brain as he checked his alarm clock.

11: 38.

He groaned and dragged himself out of bed to the kitchen. His way there was like a treacherous journey in a dark forest. He and his father, John, were far past nightlights so the house was completely dark. Doorways, chairs, and tables seemed to have taken a liking to hitting him that night.

Jack winced as his bruises were hit.

He reached the kitchen and flipped the switch. He was temporarily blinded by the sudden bright light.

When his vision cleared, he took a bottle of aspirin from the cupboard and dunked one of the pills into his mouth. He washed it down with a gulp of sink water.

Returning to his room, he caught a sound on the edge of his ear. Jack slid down the hall on his quiet feet and pressed an ear to his father's bedroom door.

Jack jumped as his foot made a squeaking sound. His head hit the door. The sounds and voices inside the room stopped. Jack scurried into his room and shut the door.

He got into bed and twisted the blankets around himself. Then he sprawled himself out and pretended to snore.

Just as he had expected, someone (who else but his father?) opened his door.

"Jack?" a deep voice whispered. "Are you asleep?"

Jack snored louder.

A hand shook him lightly.

"John? Is he asleep?"

A female voice. Jack knew it was his dad's girlfriend, Barbara. What was she doing her so late?

It hit Jack all at once and he clenched his teeth together to keep from gagging. Anything to do with his father and no clothes made Jack want to vomit.

He held is breath, hoping with all his might that they would go away.

_Leave me alone. Leave me alone, please. I didn't do anything. _

"Yeah, Barb. It's cool."

"Good," she murmured, giggling. "Let's get back to bed."

Jack's father grunted and the door shut.

Jack sighed in relief and rolled over. He knew what Daddy Dearest would have done if he knew Jack heard.


	2. Chapter 1

Chapter One_________

A Taste of Boys

Darcy walked to her chest of drawers, tip toe-ing so her footsteps wouldn't be heard through the thin floor to her parents' room. She never knew when her parents would be awake or asleep.

She took a brush and tried to comb the knots from her scraggly brown hair. The hair brush caught in the mess of bed head.

She pulled and pulled on the handle until it tore out, along with several long chunks of hair. Cursing and rubbing her scalp, Darcy walked to her closet where she grabbed a white shirt.

Then she went back to her chest of drawers and dressed herself in the white shirt and dark blue jeans. Wretched uniform.

When Darcy was done, she sat at her desk and pulled out a piece of paper and a pencil.

Her hand began to fly over the paper, creating lines and shapes and shadows that soon became a face.

In fifteen minutes, there he was. Her love. Jack.

"Darcy, it six. You wanna get up?" a sharp, female voice called from down the stairs.

"Yeah, Mom. Be down in two seconds," Darcy answered.

She headed down the stairs to the kitchen where her mother was at work on the stove. The smell of eggs and French toast filled the air, making Darcy nauseous.

"I'm not hungry," Darcy said, sitting down at the table.

Her mom turned around, her long brown hair whipping through the air. She advanced on Darcy with a frying pan of unborn chickens, regarding her eleven-year-old daughter with fiery eyes.

"What? You no appreciate my cooking, huh?"

"No! Mom, I do! I just don't like-''

"Not good enough for you," her offended mother cut in, her German accent and broken English making it almost funny. "Fine, I not make lunch either!"

Darcy got up from the table to go back to her room, but her mother pushed her back into her seat.

"No! You eat my food. I spend time on cooking. Eat!"

"Mom," Darcy cried. "I don't like eggs! What's the big deal?"

"Helen," a quiet voice muttered from the door to the master bedroom.

Darcy's mother glared at Darcy and mouthed, _you woke up your father! _Then she stuck her head in the door.

"Yes, dear? Are you needing something?"

"I heard raised voices," Darcy's dad, Frank, said. "Is everything okay?"

"Your daughter not eat her food. What you say to her?"

Frank didn't answer; he'd fallen asleep again. Darcy giggled behind her hand and sneaked back up the stairs as her mother began angrily frying more eggs.

_Jeez. Crazy lady. _

Darcy went back to her desk and smiled down at the picture of her boyfriend. She couldn't wait to see him that day. He was that bright spot, that angel, that made her world run smoothly.

It was only October and still fairly warm, so the principle had let the kids sit outside. Darcy carried her lunch bag to one of the grey plastic tables the janitor had set up.

She scrutinized every table, taking into account each person sitting there.

At one table were the girls she normally hung out with, the Pops (populars) This group comprised of the caramel-skinned Enid Wilson, the bossy leader Aurelie Wilks, the giggling jock Hillary Dark, and the wild but loving Miranda Maye. Miranda was Darcy's best friend, but Darcy felt she didn't belong with the rest of the group.

Sitting at the table behind theirs was the girl that liked to tag along with Darcy. Danica Kemp. Danica was taller than Darcy, but not by much. She was round and talkative, and loved nothing more than herself. Darcy didn't like to talk to Danica much.

The other tables were filled with people that Darcy either didn't know or didn't like. Then, at the second to last table, were Jack and his friends.

Darcy filled with excitement. Did she have the guts?

"Hey guys!"

Yes she did. She walked to their table and sat in the last seat open, beside Jack's best friend, Simon. In the span of three seconds, she looked each boy up and down.

Simon had curly, light brown hair and sparkling aqua eyes. His skin had the same scattered freckles as Jack's. The other boy was named Carter. He was a tall kid with _dark _brown curls and chocolate eyes, and a round nose above open lips. None of them added up to Jack.

"S'up, Darcy?" Simon asked, grinning hugely.

Carter was giggling behind his milk carton. I looked from Simon, to Carter, and then to Jack, who still hadn't said anything.

"What's so funny?"

"Nothing," Jack said, clenching his jaw and glaring at Simon.

Darcy looked shyly up at Jack. "Is it alright if I sit here?"

"Yeah, sure," Jack said, returning the shy glance.

Carter snorted out chocolate milk. Jack shoved him off the end of the table. He looked back at Darcy, pretending to dust off his hands. She giggled, a little too girlishly for her taste.

Simon slid off the table. "Jack, what kind of a man are you? Sit next to your girlfriend!"

Carter elbowed Jack out of his seat. Darcy scooted over so Jack could sit next to her. During the whole process, the couple was giving each other embarrassed smiles.

"So," Simon said, when they were settled, "Are you going to wear your costume to the Halloween Festival next week?"

Darcy shrugged. She didn't have any idea what she was going to dress up as. Carter thought the question was directed to him, or at least he pretended he did, just so he could talk.

"Yeah! I'm gonna wear a tie!"

Darcy looked at Carter's bright green and white striped tie.

"Carter, you wear a tie everyday. It doesn't count as a costume," Simon said matter-of-factly.

"Whatever. I'm being a tie man," Carter said, chips showering from a bag into his wide mouth.

Jack glanced at Darcy and pressed a finger to his lips. Then he squirted a pack of mustard into Carter's chocolate milk. Simon grinned and covered his mouth. Darcy looked from boy to boy in disbelief that they would do such a mean thing to their friend.

_Jeez, _she thought as Carter finished off his chips. _Are all boys like this?_

"So what about you, Simon? You gonna wear your costume?" Carter asked the boy next to him.

Simon nodded vigorously, really excited. He told them how he was going to be a gay leprechaun.

"So I'm gonna, like, wear a felt leprechaun hat and a pink robe! And then I'm gonna spray my hair orange and my sister Kendra's going to do my make up. I do hope it's gonna work out. You don't think guys are gonna make fun of me, do you?"

Carter, Jack, and Darcy stared at him for a second, incredulity radiating from their wide eyes. Then the boys burst into laughter and started teasing him. Darcy rushed to Simon's aid, shushing the boys and telling Simon his costume sounded great.

"Thanks," he said, sounding grateful. "So whether you wear it or not, what are you going to be?"

Darcy shrugged again. "I was a vampire last year and a witch the year before. Should I keep the trend of scariness? What do you think?"

She and Simon were soon fully engaged in their conversation of costumes (slutty costumes, scary costumes, kid costumes, funny costumes). Carter and Jack watched them like they were discussing a topic as un-boy-friendly as sparkle nail polish.

Half asleep, Carter lifted the milk carton to his lips and took a swig. Mid-sip, he stopped, then lowered the carton. He stared down at it in amazement.

"Okay which one of you put mustard in there? 'Cause I wanna give you a kiss!"

Darcy pretended to shield Jack. "Hey! You can't do that, man!"

"That is freakin' delicious, dude! Let's try my hot dog in there."

Carter tore off the top of the milk carton and dipped his hot dog into mixture. He took a huge bite and then looked around the table, obviously unsatisfied. He grabbed the lemon flavored vitamin powder from Simon's lunch and poured it into his milk and mustard. Then he sloshed the entire thing around and mashed his hot dog into the bottom of the carton. Finally done, he shoved the whole sausage into his mouth.

Jack shook his head and looked back at Darcy. "I bet you'd be one pretty Goth girl."

Darcy, who'd still been watching Carter swallow the hot dog whole, turned to Jack. "What?" she said, smiling a little. She'd heard him just fine.

"You'd be a pretty Goth girl. You should be that for Halloween."

"Okay," she said, grinning widely now. "Okay, I will."

They gazed into each other's eyes for a long moment. Then Darcy broke it.

"But only if you wear yours too."

"'Kay. Promise."

Like a little kid, Jack held out his pinky. Darcy laughed and hooked her pinky in his.


	3. Chapter 2

_________Chapter Three__________

Halloween Festival

A comb ran through her hair. Swift hands with black fingernails pinned up her hair in a messy bun. A black pencil enlarged her eyes. A ragged black skirt was pulled over her tan legs. A lacy black turtleneck clung to her skin over a red tank top. Grey, fingerless gloves were wrapped around her hands. A silver cross glinted on her chest.

Darcy finished getting dressed for the Halloween Festival.

Shaking fingers fumbled with the large bat wings. The hanger snapped and stung Jack's hands. He fell to the floor of the closet, crying into his knees.

"Jack?"

He hurriedly wiped his tears away and opened the door for his father.

John stood back and surveyed his son.

Jack was no longer the innocent little boy with a buzz cut and big ears that John knew. He was now almost a young man with delicious lips, clad in black and dark shadows beneath his eyes. John didn't like this man.

"No."

"No what, F-father?" Jack stuttered, leaning back a little.

"I don't like your costume."

Jack's arms shook a little. "But…you picked it out. Remember?"

Without warning, John's large hands came down on Jack's cheek. "Get out of it, NOW! NOW, I said!"

Jack ran to his closest, but John caught him. "Change out of that, right here! Right now!"

The shaking boy hastened to slip out of his suit. John flung a light blue T-shirt and jeans at him. The button of the jeans hit him hard in the eye. His breath caught in his throat.

"Well hurry up! Change!"

Jack pulled off his pants and almost flew into the clothes his father had thrust at him.

"D-does this please you?" Jack couldn't believe what he was saying. He sounded so stupid. Why hadn't he called the police? Why was he groveling at his father's feet like a pitiful mutt?

"Not as much as when your naked, dear boy," John said, smirking.

Jack's jaw tightened. No more sobbing little baby. He was going to deal with this like a man.

He almost laughed at the thought. What kind of a man lets another man rape him?

"Now get in the car. I have to pick up Barb at the bar."

Jack pushed past him to get outside. He needed to get out of this house and take a breath of fresh air, inhale something uncontaminated by his father's stench.

John caught him by the collar of his shirt, almost choking him.

"One more thing, baby. Is it okay if we use your room?"

"He's such a jerk!"

Darcy smiled glumly. She and the Pops sat on the bench beside the playground in the cool air of an October night.

"Not as big a jerk as _your _boyfriend, Aurelie," Darcy said.

But she was sad inside. How could Jack have not worn his costume? After they spent three days convincing her to and she'd spend three hours deciding what to wear? She couldn't believe it. It was a big promise or anything of the sort, but she'd believed him when he promised.

Her second-best-friend-who's-a-girl, Enid, gave her a tight squeeze.

"He was probably just worried he'd look like a dork. Don't be too hard on him."

Hillary wrapped her arms around both Enid and Darcy, who winced.

Darcy didn't like Hillary as much as the other girls. She was far to excited about _everything _and liked frills. Darcy _most certainly_ did not like frills.

"Getyourmindofit, Darce. Talk 'bout something else liiiiike…I like your costume, whattrya?"

And she talked too fast.

"I'm a Goth girl. What are you?"

_A pastel cupcake?_

Hillary was caked in a fountain of multi-colored cloth, most of it hot pink and yellow, and a lime green leather jacket. Her hair was curled to the extremity of a perm, frizzing around her grinning face.

"I'm a flower from Oz, cantchya tell?"

Darcy's thick eyebrows scrunched together.

"Uh…what's the leather for then?"

Hillary looked hurt. She spoke slowly, as if talking to a stupid person. "Those. Are the leaves. And these. Green tights. Are the stem. Comprende?"

Darcy shrugged. "Mi no habla Espanol.

Aurelie and Enid giggled; they didn't speak Spanish but they got the joke. Hillary, however, stood still for a few seconds, trying to understand what Darcy had said.

"Hey guys, where's Miranda?"

She hadn't talked to Miranda in a while, ever since she started eating with Jack.

"With…_Jesse_," Aurelie said, shaking her hips.

"No. She's not," Enid said. "She's probably with one of the other girls."

"_You_ just don't want to admit that Jesse is interested in _Mandy_," Hillary teased.

Darcy made a loud beeping noise. She grinned and waved to the Pops.

"Sorry guys, gotta go find Miranda. My obsession alert is going off."

Hillary, who didn't get it, asked, "You gonna be able to find us?"

Darcy grinned evilly, glancing the Flower from Oz up and down. "Oh yes, I think I will."

She ran down one of the open halls before Hillary understood and raced around the corner. BOOM!

"Oh!" she exclaimed, not so much from running into someone, but that that someone was Jack.

"Hey….bu-you-ti-ful," Jack slurred, slopping soda on the ground and narrowly missing his blue T-shirt.

"Dude," Darcy said worriedly. "Are you okay?"

"I'm sooooooo depressed because I didn't wear my costume, so I'm getting DRUNK on Diet Pepsi. Are you…happy now?"

Darcy stared at Jack. He started to walk down the hall and she followed him.

They didn't talk, just walked. With the alcohol Jack had poured in his Diet Pepsi, he probably couldn't have handled it anyway. He was busy trying to figure out why the sky had funny, shiny things in it.

Darcy, meanwhile, was almost in another world. The one around her was filled with bright colors, movement, noise. But this one, the one she and Jack were sharing as they floated down the hall, was a dark one. Shadows, moonlight, silence.

"I'm going to go get my hair dyed again," Jack said. They'd reached the end of the hall.

_No! Please stay with me. _"Okay, see you later."

Jack stumbled off and Darcy searched the playground for Simon.

When she did, they just sat on the slide. It was another world of shadows and silence, but it wasn't the same to Darcy. She wanted Jack back.

Simon nudged his hand with hers. Darcy turned.

"What?"

He opened her hand and dropped an eye patch in it.

"Happy Halloween, Darcy," he whispered, his eyes flickering to her lips.

They both smiled.


	4. Chapter 3

_________Chapter Three__________

Halloween Festival

A comb ran through her hair. Swift hands with black fingernails pinned up her hair in a messy bun. A black pencil enlarged her eyes. A ragged black skirt was pulled over her tan legs. A lacy black turtleneck clung to her skin over a red tank top. Grey, fingerless gloves were wrapped around her hands. A silver cross glinted on her chest.

Darcy finished getting dressed for the Halloween Festival.

Shaking fingers fumbled with the large bat wings. The hanger snapped and stung Jack's hands. He fell to the floor of the closet, crying into his knees.

"Jack?"

He hurriedly wiped his tears away and opened the door for his father.

John stood back and surveyed his son.

Jack was no longer the innocent little boy with a buzz cut and big ears that John knew. He was now almost a young man with delicious lips, clad in black and dark shadows beneath his eyes. John didn't like this man.

"No."

"No what, F-father?" Jack stuttered, leaning back a little.

"I don't like your costume."

Jack's arms shook a little. "But…you picked it out. Remember?"

Without warning, John's large hands came down on Jack's cheek. "Get out of it, NOW! NOW, I said!"

Jack ran to his closest, but John caught him. "Change out of that, right here! Right now!"

The shaking boy hastened to slip out of his suit. John flung a light blue T-shirt and jeans at him. The button of the jeans hit him hard in the eye. His breath caught in his throat.

"Well hurry up! Change!"

Jack pulled off his pants and almost flew into the clothes his father had thrust at him.

"D-does this please you?" Jack couldn't believe what he was saying. He sounded so stupid. Why hadn't he called the police? Why was he groveling at his father's feet like a pitiful mutt?

"Not as much as when your naked, dear boy," John said, smirking.

Jack's jaw tightened. No more sobbing little baby. He was going to deal with this like a man.

He almost laughed at the thought. What kind of a man lets another man rape him?

"Now get in the car. I have to pick up Barb at the bar."

Jack pushed past him to get outside. He needed to get out of this house and take a breath of fresh air, inhale something uncontaminated by his father's stench.

John caught him by the collar of his shirt, almost choking him.

"One more thing, baby. Is it okay if we use your room?"

"He's such a jerk!"

Darcy smiled glumly. She and the Pops sat on the bench beside the playground in the cool air of an October night.

"Not as big a jerk as _your _boyfriend, Aurelie," Darcy said.

But she was sad inside. How could Jack have not worn his costume? After they spent three days convincing her to and she'd spend three hours deciding what to wear? She couldn't believe it. It was a big promise or anything of the sort, but she'd believed him when he promised.

Her second-best-friend-who's-a-girl, Enid, gave her a tight squeeze.

"He was probably just worried he'd look like a dork. Don't be too hard on him."

Hillary wrapped her arms around both Enid and Darcy, who winced.

Darcy didn't like Hillary as much as the other girls. She was far to excited about _everything _and liked frills. Darcy _most certainly_ did not like frills.

"Getyourmindofit, Darce. Talk 'bout something else liiiiike…I like your costume, whattrya?"

And she talked too fast.

"I'm a Goth girl. What are you?"

_A pastel cupcake?_

Hillary was caked in a fountain of multi-colored cloth, most of it hot pink and yellow, and a lime green leather jacket. Her hair was curled to the extremity of a perm, frizzing around her grinning face.

"I'm a flower from Oz, cantchya tell?"

Darcy's thick eyebrows scrunched together.

"Uh…what's the leather for then?"

Hillary looked hurt. She spoke slowly, as if talking to a stupid person. "Those. Are the leaves. And these. Green tights. Are the stem. Comprende?"

Darcy shrugged. "Mi no habla Espanol.

Aurelie and Enid giggled; they didn't speak Spanish but they got the joke. Hillary, however, stood still for a few seconds, trying to understand what Darcy had said.

"Hey guys, where's Miranda?"

She hadn't talked to Miranda in a while, ever since she started eating with Jack.

"With…_Jesse_," Aurelie said, shaking her hips.

"No. She's not," Enid said. "She's probably with one of the other girls."

"_You_ just don't want to admit that Jesse is interested in _Mandy_," Hillary teased.

Darcy made a loud beeping noise. She grinned and waved to the Pops.

"Sorry guys, gotta go find Miranda. My obsession alert is going off."

Hillary, who didn't get it, asked, "You gonna be able to find us?"

Darcy grinned evilly, glancing the Flower from Oz up and down. "Oh yes, I think I will."

She ran down one of the open halls before Hillary understood and raced around the corner. BOOM!

"Oh!" she exclaimed, not so much from running into someone, but that that someone was Jack.

"Hey….bu-you-ti-ful," Jack slurred, slopping soda on the ground and narrowly missing his blue T-shirt.

"Dude," Darcy said worriedly. "Are you okay?"

"I'm sooooooo depressed because I didn't wear my costume, so I'm getting DRUNK on Diet Pepsi. Are you…happy now?"

Darcy stared at Jack. He started to walk down the hall and she followed him.

They didn't talk, just walked. With the alcohol Jack had poured in his Diet Pepsi, he probably couldn't have handled it anyway. He was busy trying to figure out why the sky had funny, shiny things in it.

Darcy, meanwhile, was almost in another world. The one around her was filled with bright colors, movement, noise. But this one, the one she and Jack were sharing as they floated down the hall, was a dark one. Shadows, moonlight, silence.

"I'm going to go get my hair dyed again," Jack said. They'd reached the end of the hall.

_No! Please stay with me. _"Okay, see you later."

Jack stumbled off and Darcy searched the playground for Simon.

When she did, they just sat on the slide. It was another world of shadows and silence, but it wasn't the same to Darcy. She wanted Jack back.

Simon nudged his hand with hers. Darcy turned.

"What?"

He opened her hand and dropped an eye patch in it.

"Happy Halloween, Darcy," he whispered, his eyes flickering to her lips.

They both smiled.


	5. Chapter 4

__________Chapter four__________

Six Minutes of Silence

The next day, Darcy's mom had a garage sale. She invited her few friends to bring their "craft" to sell.

Darcy and her brother, Max, sold cookies, brownies, and lemonade. Helen sold potted plants from her garden and the clothes and toys they were garage-selling.

At the Festival, she'd invited Jack to the garage sale. He said he would come if his dad let him, but the way he'd been acting, Darcy wasn't sure if he remembered.

A black car drove up, one of the few that had stopped so far. Darcy sat up straight, holding her breath.

A large man got out of the driver's seat, his beer belly and _man boobs _stretching his olive button-up. Darcy slumped down again and made an annoyed "huff" sound. Movement in her peripheral vision caused her to turn her head back to the black car.

Jack was getting out of the passenger seat!

Darcy jumped up excitedly and ran to the car, stopping feet from Jack. He looked tired. Like he'd stayed up until four in the morning, turned back the clock, and stayed up until four again.

"No hug?"

Darcy started to move towards Jack nervously, but then her dad, Frank, came jogging up.

"Hey guys!" he greeted, reaching across the car to shake hands with John Kenler.

John shook it tightly. "Be here in two," he said to Jack, nodding. Then he got back in the car and drove away.

"Er, he seems like a nice guy," Darcy commented, fidgeting with her jeans pocket, as they sat on the front porch.

"Most polite of the bunch," Jack muttered, rubbing his eyes sleepily.

"It's two o'clock in the afternoon! You can't seriously be tired," she exclaimed, laughing at his utter adorable-ness.

And then, to Darcy's horror, Frank came up to them, holding Max's hand.

"Here, you can hang out with Darcy and Jack, okay?"

"Dad!" Darcy shouted as Max and all his seven-year-old dirtiness giggled. "You can't dump him on us!"

"Just did," Frank said, shrugging and walking away.

Come time for Jack to leave, they had had only six minutes alone. During that time, which was rewarded to them only because Max had gotten a drink of water, they sat in silence.

"Uh, I'm sorry," Darcy started. "I don't really know what to say."

"It's okay. Neither do I. Just being here is fine."

There was quiet for another minute.

"Silence," Jack whispered, "a blessing or a curse?"

That night, Darcy dreamt of Jack.

She was dressed in a simple white dress with a black train that flowed behind her as she walked down the aisle. Jack stood at the end, literally glowing in his light blue T-shirt.

She stepped up onto the dais and stared deeply into his eyes. The world erupted into a waterfall of fireworks as they shared their first kiss.

When Darcy awoke, she lay there for an hour and tried to bring back the feeling of Jack's lips on hers.


	6. Chapter 5

_______Chapter Five_______

Taylor Hill

November

Darcy shivered as she sat on the bleachers just outside of the ice skating rink. She was hungry, but too cold to take her hands out of her pockets. The people on the rink were sweating, she noticed, because they were playing ice tag.

Darcy, however, was inept at anything physical besides flexibility, running, and basketball. The last time, and only time, she had ice skated, had been when she was eight.

She was bundled up in coats and scarves, and had one of those bars that kept you stable. The employee on the rink whistled and called, "Group huddle!" Darcy's butt had hurt badly after that, because of course it isn't smart to demand thirty eight-year-olds to gather around one person as quick as they can.

"Don't like to skate?" a high voice asked.

Darcy turned around to see a small, pale girl with wild blond hair. Her freezing white cheeks and nose were tinged pink and her olive green eyes smiled out of brown lashes. She was only wearing a cashmere yellow sweater and blue camouflage shorts.

Nothing about her was what Darcy particularly liked, as Darcy soon found out as they moved closer to talk. She was fragile, girly, a little snooty. But maybe it was her resemblance to Miranda, the blond hair and craziness, that drew the wild-haired dark girl to the wild-haired blond girl.

Darcy knew at once that she wanted to be this girl's friend.

"Whoops," the blond girl said. "I totally forgot to tell you my name! I'm Taylor."

She had quite a boyish name for her doll-like personality.

"Darcy."

"So, _Darcy. _Do you have a boyfriend?" Taylor asked.

"Yeah…"

Taylor sighed. "I've always wanted a boyfriend. The only one I had lasted five minutes, and it was in second grade. No guys ever like me."

"Why's that?" Darcy asked. Taylor might be a little girly for Darcy's taste, but she was cute and had beautiful hair.

"I don't know! Whenever I ask someone out, they always say no. But I can always throw them away, kind of like-''

Taylor stopped and Darcy looked at her curious. "Like what?" she asked.

"Um, nothing. So what's the lucky guy's name? Is he nice?"

The lucky guy. Why did Taylor think Jack was so lucky?

"His name is Jack. And of _course _he's nice," Darcy said.

But was he nice? Darcy thought of Jack as a god, but Jack wasn't even nice to his closest friends, namely Carter. Was Jack perhaps _not _the knight in shining armor (or rather baggy jeans) that Darcy had always hoped for since she read about Snow White? Darcy brushed the thought away.

"Oh Taylor!" a shrill, sort of hoarse voice called from the other end of the room.

Taylor groaned as a slightly chubby blond woman hobbled up the bleachers in silver, open-toed high heels. This woman was obviously Taylor's mother. She had bleached-blond hair, the same as Taylor's natural color. She had wide brown eyes with the same deep line underneath. Lime green sun glasses rested on her head.

"There you are, baby. Here, you need your jacket," she cooed, pulling out a fluffy white sweater from her enormous brown and grey bag.

Darcy read the word COACH on it in silver thread. What was coach? Like a carriage?

Taylor huffed, but slid into her sweater. Then her mother seated herself daintily, crossing her smooth legs.

"Well, hey cutie," she said, smiling at Darcy. "I'm Ingrid. What's _your _name?"

"Mom, this is Darcy," Taylor introduced.

"And how do you know Lilian?"

Lilian was the athletic girl who lived down the street from Darcy. Their moms had met at a club for pregnant women and then realized they lived barely a block away from each other. They had known each other since baby-hood. It was her party that Darcy was attending.

"I live down the street from her. What about you?" Darcy asked Taylor.

Taylor grinned. "My dad knows her dad. They're both superhero nerds. Lily and I were forced to hang out when our dads met up. We hated each other until about three years ago."

Darcy was about to say that she couldn't imagine anyone hating this innocent little person, but then Lilian's mom called "Cake time!"

All the people on the rink hurried off to untie their skates and get cake.

"Ew, I hate cake," Taylor sniffed.

"Me too. I only like ice cream cake. I'm a vegetarian."

Taylor's eyes widened. "Really? Me too! That's so cool!"

The two vegetarians and the Barbie-like Ingrid headed for the table to see if there was ice cream.

When the party was over, Taylor and Darcy hugged good bye. It was not the awkward little hug that most people give each other after just meeting. It was a hug that would be shared between old friends.

"Hope to see you again," Taylor called as she got into her mom's car.

Darcy waved. "Yeah, you too!"


	7. Chapter 6

_________Chapter six_________

Trust

December

Jack quietly ate his dinner of microwave burritos and orange juice. His father was out again, luckily. He still felt sore from last night's attack. When he was finished, he took the carton of cookie dough in his room and stuffed himself sick.

When that was done, and it took all his strength to get off his bed, he dialed Simon's number into the home phone.

"Hello?" Simon asked.

"It's Jack."

"Hey, Jack. Something wrong?"

"Can I spend the night tonight?"  
"Well, uh-''

Jack panicked. He had to get out of this house.

"Please? My dad said it's okay!" _Did not._

"Okay. Mom! Can Jack come over?" Simon called to his mother. "She said yeah."

"Can you drive me?"

Simon sighed loudly. "Mom! Can you drive him?...Thanks!"

Jack relaxed, a little. "I need to talk to you, urgently."

"What about," Simon asked, curiously. What could be wrong with perfect Jack Kenler, Mr. Popular, the poet, writer, artist, guy-with-the-girl-Simon-wanted?

_My dad. My girlfriend. My_ life_._

Simon's room was small and comfortable. There was a loft bed in one corner with a plush green comforter and the door to a closet in another. In the other two corners was a lamp and a two bean bag chairs. The whole room was in greens and whites.

Simon politely offered Jack a seat on the bean bag.

"So what do you need to talk about?"

"Darcy."

Simon's jaw clenched but he rolled his eyes. "Couldn't you have waited until Monday? Or told me over the phone?"

"And my dad."

Simon looked confused. He could understand if Jack wanted to talk about Darcy, probably because she wouldn't have sex with him. But he couldn't figure why Jack's _dad_ was a problem. He'd met the guy and he seemed okay, rude but not bad.

"Okay…"Simon said. "Go 'head."

Jack rubbed his hands together nervously. "Alright….so…" He didn't think it would be this hard. "Well, easiest first. Darcy. She's cute, and nice. I guess. But she doesn't do anything. Like, we don't even talk."

"How long you guys been together?"

Jack shrugged. Why should he know? Was it his business to keep track of dates like that? "She probably knows. That's the thing, man. She's like head-over-fucking-heels for me but I don't really care."

Simon kept his eyes focused on his hands. He couldn't believe Jack's attitude. How could he not love Darcy? Darcy would give him anything. But Simon doubted she would Jack the only thing he wanted from her; her virginity.

"Well," Simon said, trying not to yell at Jack. "She's probably waiting for you to talk to her. Girls always want guys to be the one making moves."

"You don't get it! I don't want to _talk _to her!"

Simon kept his face still. That little bastard. How could he try to use Darcy like that? Simon was tempted to tell Jack to dump her, and then he could have her. But he saw how Darcy looked at Jack, and he knew she would never be happy with a friend.

He had to keep Jack from dumping Darcy.

"Just be really sweet and talk to her and hug her and stuff and then she'll…come around," Simon urged. "It's not like there's anyone better in the class."

Jack considered this. "Well, there's the Pops."

"Yeah, but they're the _Pops_. They're all obsessed with Jesse by law," Simon pointed out, hoping his plan would work. "So Darcy is the only option."

Simon knew he'd have to leave after this. He wouldn't be able to sit there and watch as Jack used Darcy.

"I guess you're right," Jack agreed.

Simon relaxed. "So what's this thing about your dad?"

Jack's face contorted and he seemed to morph into a completely different person.

"I hate that man! I hate him so much!"

"What did he do?"

"He-he-I…"

Jack buried his head in Simon's shoulder, sobbing out his wretched heart. When he was done, he lifted his head, dried his red eyes, and told Simon everything.

The same weekend, Darcy invited Miranda and Enid over for a sleepover. The girls huddled around a black box in sleeping bags on the floor of Darcy's living room.

"Open it! Open it!"

"Come on, Darce," Miranda said. "We promised to tell each other everything."

"Hey," Enid said. "You guys never made that promise with me."

Darcy smiled and said jokingly, "So I don't really have to tell _you._"

Miranda tapped Darcy's closed fist, which held the key. "We could just tackle you."

"Alright, alright!" Darcy gave in and unlocked the box. "I'm warning you guys, this may make me seem obsessed."

"Don't worry," Miranda said. "E and I are both obsessed with Jesse, and no one really cares."

Darcy nodded, took a deep breath, and opened the lid of the box. Miranda and Enid leaned in curiously.

Piled up inside the box were pictures of Jack, or things that had used to belong to Jack.

There was a picture of Darcy and Jack sitting next to each other in fifth grade, several pictures of Jack in fourth grade, his hair cropped close to his scalp, part of a project he'd done in fifth grade, and his response to her science project, also in fifth grade.

Enid giggled as she looked through the collection. Miranda touched his response.

"He didn't give you a very good review," she noted.

Darcy crossed her arms, which was hard to do when resting on her elbows. "Well he saw right through me, because I _did _do it the night before."

"So…" Enid said, eyes wide, "Have you guys done anything?"

"Done-what-like kiss?"

Enid counted off on her fingers. "Hold hands, kiss, _make out!"_

Darcy shook her head, laughing. "No. We barely talk." Her eyebrows knitted together. "Gosh, you guys. I love him so much! Like…all the time I want to kiss him and hug him and hold his hand and tell him how much I care! I mean, haven't you ever felt like you were going crazy because of someone is just _so _perfect?"

Darcy looked around. Enid and Miranda were staring at her.

"Yeah," said Enid. "Over Jesse."

"Yeah, he's SO hot," Miranda agreed.

"Not just because Jack's hot," Darcy explained. "Just everything about him is so…"

"Wonderful," offered Miranda.

"Yeah…"Darcy trailed off, then added mischievously, "But I'm gonna do _something _at the Christmas party."

"Ooooh," Miranda teased. "I'll make sure to bring my camera."

Darcy glanced away haughtily. "Please do."

All of the girls collapsed into giggles.


	8. Chapter 7

________Chapter seven________

Christmas Party

"Hey, baby."

Darcy radiated pleasure as Jack scooted her over on the chair and sat down. It _was _a bit uncomfortable, since she was almost falling off, but she didn't care.

"So how are you enjoying the party?" he asked.

"It's fun. I loved your army variation of the Twelve Days of Christmas."

Simon's hands clenched into fists as Jack wrapped his arms around Darcy, and _she _masked an excited smile.

"Darcy!" a voice crowed from across the room.

"Oh no," Darcy muttered as Charlotte from the Yearbook Committee waddled over as fast as she could.

"You guys look _adorable_!!" she shrieked. "Can I take a picture?"

Her camera clicked before Darcy could answer. Charlotte's partner sauntered looking weary.

"Oh Angel!" she cooed, shoving her camera in his face. "Don't Jack and Darce look adorable?!"

Angel's lip began to tremble. Charlotte wrapped her arm around him and began shaking him back and forth.

"Angel is the best boyfriend EVER!" Charlotte giggled. "I just love him! She kissed his cheek. "Aren't you just the cutest thing!"

The short little boy pushed her away and ran from the room screaming. "I'm not your boyfriend!!"

Charlotte chased after him, crying.

"Dinner and a show," Jack said, taking a huge bite of the corn bread on Darcy's paper plate.

"Go ahead," she said, shrugging. "I don't like corn bread anyway."

"No way!" Jack exclaimed, picking up a piece of the crumbly bread. "I have to teach you then!" He waved the bread in front of her eyes. "This is one the best goddamn things you will ever eat, besides beef, but you don't eat that. Corn bread is a necessity." He teased the bread between her lips and she swallowed. "You like?"

Then he pulled the Santa hat off his head and plopped it on hers. "Here, you look sexy!" Darcy grinned nervously. "You can keep it, if you want."

He adjusted the hat so it almost covered Darcy's eyes. Slowly, he inched his face closer to hers.

"Uh…thanks!" she cried and jumped up from the seat.

She couldn't kiss him. Not now. She'd never kissed anyone before! What if she messed up, and in front of the entire class?! Not to mention that she probably tasted like cornbread.

"Um…bathroom," she lied and sprinted out of the room. Moments later, Miranda followed her.

Jack stared at the fleeing figures. "What the hell is her _problem? _It's like she can't even handle one friggin' kiss!"

He stuffed a pinch of cornbread into his mouth and then washed it down with a swig from his thermos. Simon eyed the thermos suspiciously.

Simon knew Jack was drinking. He'd always seen through Jack's facades, even if no one else did.

"Whatever. Like you said, I guess I gotta keep trying," Jack grumbled. He dragged himself to the "Lounge" in the classroom and flopped down on the couch.

From across the room, Jack's drowsy mumbles could still be heard.

Simon's lips twitched.


	9. Chapter 8

_______Chapter Eight_______

Simon and girls

The library didn't have a very high ceiling, nor was it especially large. There was one floor with shelves pressed against the walls and large tables in the center. A balcony-like second floor hovered over part of the library, the home of non-fiction. Yes, all in all it was a small library.

But that Christmas break, Darcy was convinced it had been specially set up to carry small sounds long distances.

"Mandy!" she scolded under her breath. "Shh! That shrew is gonna kick us out!"

"But…" Miranda started, speaking in between piercing giggles. "I didn't…I didn't…"

She trailed off into another round of laughter. Darcy shook her head, grinning, and returned to her paper.

"Hey, Darce, look at that one girl," Miranda snorted, straight blond hair flopping in her face.

Darcy glanced over to see a thin, lightly tanned girl in very showing clothing. She couldn't help but stare.

The girl had smooth legs and round, barely covered breasts revealed with grey shorts and a skin-tight blue tank top. Her hair was like gold burnt into curls and her eyes were icy blue and surrounded by dark lashes and layers of eyeliner. She had on white shoes that resembled ballet slippers and funny silver things up to her knees.

Darcy glanced down at her own chest, which was flat except the two pricks of her nipples and the small bulge of her baby fat. She flicked her eyes back to the girl.

There was a choker of small pearls gleaming on her neck that kept drawing Darcy's eyes to the hint of cleavage above the tank top.

She swallowed and looked away.

The girl began chattering away on her cell phone in a screechy voice and the spell of her charm was broken.

"Um, yeah," Darcy said, her throat dry. "What about her?"

"I dunno. Like, I wonder if _we'll_ be like that next year. Or if we'll be the way we are now." There was a moment of silent pondering, then, "Do you think I'll have a boyfriend by then?"

Miranda had, for three years, liked Jesse Ont. It was fact that he was the coolest, the cockiest, and the hottest guy at their school. Miranda has asked him out several times and he'd said yes once. But nothing had happened so she "dumped him."

Miranda started drawing disproportionate faces crying graphite tears on her math sheet.

"Sixth grade love is crap," she murmured, and jabbed a whole through her paper.

Darcy burrowed herself in the blankets of her mattress-bed in the attic. As the warmth engulfed her, she gazed sleepily up at the stars through her un-curtained window. She wrapped her arms tightly around her stuffed turtle, Dwarf, and whispered up to the moon a New Year's Resolution.

She had never really made one before. Since this was her first, she wanted it to be special. She wanted it to last forever. She had spent two days deciding on what to set as her goal for the new year.

The three words slipped from her lips, through the window screen, and into the night to mingle with all the other resolutions being whispered under blankets.

"To kiss Jack…"

It was a nice day. Warm enough for the children to shed their jackets (though of course they didn't think of themselves as children) and for the girls to tie up their fashionably long hair.

The daintier girls stood in the shade of the trees behind the ball wall or on the bleachers, preening themselves, while the boys and a few tougher girls played Cat and Mouse.

But not the sixth-grade tough kids of Mr. Leo's class.

Darcy, Petra, Carter, and Jesse sat on their stone bench. No one spoke. Their attention was fixed completely on Jack and Simon, who were having a heated conversation in whispers by the girls' bathroom.

"Well-'' Jesse started.

"Ssh!" everyone else hissed and he shut up.

All of them were anxious. They had no idea what was going on. Simon had started playing four-square that morning with the dorky kids instead of sitting with the usual group. Jack had confronted him, dragged him away from both the stone bench and the dumbfounded four-square kids and they had been talking ever since.

They were anxious, but Jack was furious.

"What's your problem, man? Huh? Why you fucking with this assholes? Answer me!"

Simon just stared at him.

"What the hell? I let you in on my life and you ditch us for those dimwits? God, you're so fucking stupid, you fag."

Simon had meant to keep quiet and let Jack believe that he was leaving the group because of Jack's secret, but now he cracked out of his shell of determined silence.

He shoved Jack away from him.

"No, Jack. I'm leaving because you make me sick! I don't care if your Dad raped you, you're a horrible person! You're a bitch to Darcy and you don't deserve her! I would give anything for her and all you want to do is feel her up! And you're so bitchy to everyone! Me, Carter, everyone. Sooner or later, and hopefully sooner, people are gonna get fed up with your crap. And I'm just gonna laugh. So go find somebody else's shoulder to cry on, 'cause I'm fucking sick of you!"

With that, Simon turned and stalked down the hall. Jack cursed a few more times and kicked the brick wall. He cursed some more and turned back to his group. Darcy was staring worriedly at him.

Oh what a waste of a wonderful day.


End file.
